The Weekly Update #4

12/13: Parent Center Meeting & Parent Engagement

12/20: Early Release

12/23-1/6: Winter Break (no school)

Many of us have fond memories that involve music. What special music do you associate with important celebrations? What kind of beat can you not help but tap your feet to when it comes on the radio? Have you noticed your child tapping along with you? What songs from your childhood do you and your child enjoy singing together? Music has a wonderful way of translating across many generations, cultures, languages, and communication styles. We are excited to begin a study of music making in our class that will engage and build on children’s curiosity around music, sound, and performance.

What You Can Do at Home? Listen for music throughout the day with your child. We often don’t even notice the music that plays in the background of our everyday lives. Discuss the music that you and your child hear. How does it make each of you feel? Does it sound like any other music you have heard? Talk about favorite music styles and songs with your child and share why you enjoy them. Create a list together of your family’s favorite songs. Thank you for playing an important role in our learning!

Keeping Your Preschooler Healthy

• Eat meals together often. Model healthy eating habits by serving fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other healthy foods for meals and snacks
• Limit the amount of sugar, solid fats and salt in your child’s food and drinks

• Limit screen time. Develop a media use plan for your family.

• Encourage your preschooler to play and move throughout the day
• Choose age-appropriate toys for your child to choose from, like balls and plastic bats
• Make sure your child brushes their teeth twice each day using a soft child’s toothbrush with a small amount of fluoride toothpaste
• Make sure they get enough sleep – the recommend amount of sleep for preschoolers 3 – 5 years old is 10 – 13 hours per day (over a 24-hour period, including naps)

Nutrition

Healthy Eating

It’s important for preschoolers to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy and fortified soy alternatives. Choose options for meals, beverages, and snacks that have limited added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.

The amount of food preschoolers need depends on a variety of factors, including age, sex, and physical activity level. Use the MyPlate Plan as a general guide to how much they should eat from each food group every day.

Preschoolers have a wide range of normal growth; every child is different. Your child’s healthcare provider will monitor their growth over time using growth charts and other tools. Be sure to discuss concerns you may have about your child’s growth with their healthcare provider.

Picky Eating

Picky eating is common for many preschoolers as they grow up and become more independent. Try the following tips to help them during this time:

• Your preschooler may not eat the exact amounts suggested every day. Try to balance the amounts over a few days or a week.
• Offer different foods from day to day. Encourage your child to choose from a variety of foods.
• Serve foods in small portions during regular meals and snacks times.
• Your child may not want to try new foods. Try serving a new food with a food they know and like in the same meal. It may take up to 12 tries for a child to accept a new food.
• Let your child help prepare meals. Children get excited about tasting foods when they have helped make them.

Serve Safe Food

• Teach your child how to wash their hands after using the bathroom, before and after eating, after playing with pets, and whenever they are dirty.
• Some foods are more likely to cause foodborne illness (or food poisoning). Only serve your preschooler foods with seafood, meat, poultry, or eggs that have been cooked to the recommended safe minimum internal temperatures.
• Avoid serving unpasteurized (raw) juice or milk.
• Do not serve foods to your child that are hard to swallow. Cut them into small pieces of about a half inch. Some types of hard-to-swallow foods can include peanuts, popcorn, round slices of hot dog, hard candy, whole grapes, and cherry tomatoes.
• Have your preschoolers sit down at a table when they eat to prevent choking. Do not let them run, walk, play, or lie down with food in their mouth.

Frosty Yogurt Cups

This fun edible craft is super easy and festive. Decorate the cups with eyes, a carrot nose, smile and buttons and fill them up with yogurt or cottage cheese so that it resembles Frosty! You can even top them with fruit for more colour and flavour!

Frosty Yogurt Cups

Ingredients:

• Clear plastic cups
• Black permanent marker
• Orange permanent marker (or use orange construction paper)
• Plain yogurt or cottage cheese
• Honey or maple syrup

Directions:

• Take a plastic cup and draw two black eyes, black dots for the mouth and buttons. Draw the nose on with an orange permanent marker or cut a small triangle out of construction paper and glue onto cup underneath eyes.
• Place yogurt or cottage cheese in cup, filling almost to the top. Mix with a bit of honey or maple syrup to sweeten, if desired. You can also top with fruit to form the snowman’s hat, if desired (i.e. strawberries or blueberries would work well).

Emotional Wellbeing Tips for the Holidays

The holiday season can be a joyful time, but it can also bring stress and challenges. As parents, it’s important to care for your own emotional wellbeing so you can fully enjoy this season with your children. Here are some tips to keep the holidays joyful and stress-free:

1. Focus on Quality Time

• The best gift you can give your children is your presence. Set aside time for simple, meaningful activities like baking cookies, reading holiday stories, or going for a walk to see holiday lights. These small moments create lasting memories.

2. Set Realistic Expectations

• It’s easy to feel pressure to make everything perfect during the holidays. Remember that the holidays are about connection, not perfection. It’s okay if everything doesn’t go as planned.

3. Maintain Routines

• Children thrive on routine, so try to keep regular bedtimes, mealtimes, and nap schedules. Consistency can help reduce holiday overwhelm for both parents and kids.

4. Teach Gratitude

• Use the holidays as an opportunity to teach gratitude. Encourage your child to draw a picture or write a note thanking someone who has been kind to them this year.

5. Take Care of Yourself

• As a parent, your emotional wellbeing sets the tone for your family. Take time for yourself, whether that’s enjoying a quiet cup of coffee, going for a walk, or practicing deep breathing. A little self-care can go a long way.

6. Watch for Overwhelm

• Holiday excitement can sometimes be overwhelming for young children. If your child becomes overstimulated, offer a quiet activity or a calm, cozy space for them to decompress.

7. Give Back as a Family

• Doing something kind for others can be a wonderful way to connect during the holidays. Consider donating toys, volunteering, or making holiday cards for neighbors or friends.

8. Celebrate Your Own Way

• Every family has its own traditions and values. Embrace what works for your family, whether it’s a big celebration or a simple, quiet holiday.

This December, take a moment to slow down and cherish the joy of togetherness. Wishing you and your family a season filled with love, laughter, and emotional wellbeing!